The invention refers to a locator device which preferably defines a readily attachable accessory part to a tool for crimping cable shoes on the ends of electrical conductors.
As is well known, cable shoes have an affixing or crimping portion by which they are crimped on the end of a cable, and a contact portion which is a means of electrical connection of the respective cable with another electrical component.
Cable shoes may be crimped onto conductors in a tool or apparatus which is provided with a pair of reciprocating jaws in which one or more pairs of conveniently shaped crimping dies are provided. More than one pair of dies is provided when cable shoes with different crimping portions shall be treated in the same tool. The tool or apparatus may be embodied by a pair of tongs or by a stationary apparatus.
In order to establish a good electrical as well as mechanical connection between the conductor and the cable shoe it is essential that during the crimping operation the affixing portion is exactly located in the pair of dies, and that the contact portion at the same time in no way is affected by the crimping dies.
It has already been proposed to provide stop means in cable shoe tools defining the position of a cable shoe inserted into the tool. It is an object of the present invention to provide a locator device able to serve cable shoes having contact portions with at least two different lengths and, in a preferred embodiment, also two different widths, and where resetting from one length to another can be accomplished by operating an actuating means.